Final Score Power Index - an objective evaluation of NFL teams, based on final scores of games played.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

NFL: Playoff Seeds of Super Bowl Teams

The playoff seeding system was started in 1975. Since then, every
Super Bowl has featured at least one #1- or #2-seeded team.

In the following table, #1 and #2 seeded teams are bolded. Years
marked with a '*' are ones with no #1 seeded team. As usual, the
year refers to when the regular season started; the actual Super
Bowls are played the following calendar year.

Year

Winner

Loser

1975

Steelers #1

Cowboys #4

1976

Raiders #1

Vikings #1

1977

Cowboys #1

Broncos #1

1978

Steelers #1

Cowboys #2

1979

Steelers #2

Rams #3

*

1980

Raiders #4

Eagles #2

*

1981

49ers #1

Bengals #1

1982

Redskins #1

Dolphins #2

1983

Raiders #1

Redskins #1

1984

49ers #1

Dolphins #1

1985

Bears #1

Patriots #5

1986

Giants #1

Broncos #2

1987

Redskins #3

Broncos #1

1988

49ers #2

Bengals #1

1989

49ers #1

Broncos #1

1990

Giants #2

Bills #1

1991

Redskins #1

Bills #1

1992

Cowboys #2

Bills #4

*

1993

Cowboys #1

Bills #1

1994

49ers #1

Chargers #2

1995

Cowboys #1

Steelers #2

1996

Packers #1

Patriots #2

1997

Broncos #4

Packers #2

*

1998

Broncos #1

Falcons #2

1999

Rams #1

Titans #4

2000

Ravens #4

Giants #1

2001

Patriots #2

Rams #1

2002

Buccaneers #2

Raiders #1

2003

Patriots #1

Panthers #3

2004

Patriots #2

Eagles #1

2005

Steelers #6

Seahawks #1

2006

Colts #3

Bears #1

2007

Giants #5

Patriots #1

2008

Steelers #2

Cardinals #4

*

Comments:

There's certainly evidence in this list that high playoff seeds
aren't as valuable as they used to be:

There were 8 #1-vs-#1 matchups 1975 to 1993 (19 seasons).

There were 0 #1-vs-#1 matchups 1994 to 2008 (15 seasons).

Counting this year, we are on a stretch of 5 Super Bowls not
won by a #1 seed. The longest such strech before 2000 was just
two years (1979-1980, and 1987-1988).